The present invention relates to the field of hinges and, specifically, to seat hinges of the type used for foldable boat seats. This type of seat has a back that is foldable over the seat.
A number of hinges are known in prior art. One commonly known hinge is comprised of a pair of metal angles fastened together with a large rivet. One angle is bolted to the seat bottom and the other to the seat back such that the rivet serves as a pivot for the hinge. A hinge of this type can pinch the fingers of the user if the user puts a hand between the part of the hinge while the seat is being positioned.
Another commonly used hinge is made of two molded heat resistant material pieces. Each piece has a hinge guide portion surrounding its pivot point. The hinge guide portion has the form of an arc drawn about the pivot point. The two arcs fit closely with one another and do not separate, regardless of the orientation of the seat back. This hinge configuration always results in the two hinge guide portions overlapping one another without any gap. This prevents finger pinch during repositioning of the seat back. U.S. Pat. No. 5,052,076, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention, discloses a hinge of this type in which the hinge pivot has a generally circular outer pivot wall on one section of the hinge, and a circular inner pivot wall on the other section of the hinge. The inner wall is provided with ears that project at right angles to the top of the inner wall and the outer wall is provided with relieved sections that allow the ears to pass through the outer wall in only one orientation.
Another prior art seat is made out of two sections coupled by means of a fastener and two plastic pins. Both sections have one planar, circular end, each one parallel to the other. The planar, circular end of one section has a first aperture and two arcuate channels formed therein. The parallel end of the second section includes three apertures disposed to be aligned with the first aperture and two arcuate channels in the first section. The hinge further comprises a planar, circular intermediate plate that is parallel to and adjacently coupled to the planar, circular end of each section. The intermediate plate is provided with three apertures disposed to be aligned with the apertures and channels. The hinge is further provided with a planar, circular back plate, parallel and adjacently coupled to the first section end, opposite the intermediate plate.
The present invention represents a substantial improvement of co-pending application Ser. No. 09/075,021, assigned to the same assignee as the present invention. This invention reduces the number of parts needed for production while maintaining total product quality.
The present invention is a seat hinge of the type used on boat seats, especially foldable boat seats. Among the objects of the present invention is to provide a hinge comprising two sections securely coupled together and provided with integral stopping means to prevent fingers or other objects from being pinched therebetween when the seat is put in a folded configuration.
The first section of the hinge is L-shaped and includes an integrally formed supporting leg portion and a connecting leg portion. The connecting leg portion is substantially planar and has a pivot aperture formed therein. The second section of the hinge includes a connecting portion and a laterally extending support portion. The connecting portion of the second section is substantially planar and adjacently coupled to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section by way of a coupling pivot pin extending normal to the plane of the second section and through the pivot aperture. The connecting portion of the second section is further provided with a protuberance which is radially spaced from the coupling pivot pin. This protuberance is preferably in the form of an upstanding pin, however it is to be understood that the protuberance could be in any other form, such as an integrally formed raised area, or an upstruck flange area.
The connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section further includes a peripheral recess. The peripheral recess faces radially outward relative to the pivot pin and is configured to form a generally U-shaped area. Laterally spaced-apart abutment surfaces extend angularly from the U-shaped area. The abutment surfaces cooperate with the protuberance to stop relative rotative motion of the two hinge sections. The protuberance will travel from one abutment surface to the other. Therefore, the hinge may be moved from a position in which the hinge sections form the greatest angle with respect to one another to a position in which the angle formed is minimal.
The hinge further comprises a circular substantially planar back plate, parallel to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section and the connecting portion of the second section and adjacently coupled to the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped portion. The back plate further comprises at least one back plate aperture, axially disposed to be aligned with the pivot pin aperture in the connecting leg portion of the L-shaped section. In the preferred embodiment the back plate is further provided with an aperture axially disposed to be aligned with the preferred protuberance, upstanding pin, but in alternate embodiments using other types of protuberances, the aperture is not necessary.